1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications. More particularly, the invention concerns a system for handling 800 calls between first and second networks in different countries in which toll charges from the origin to the destination country, including international toll charges, are assessed to the origin and destination network toll charges are assessed to the destination.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Special handling numbers such as so-called 700, 800 and 900 numbers have greatly facilitated the growth in telecommunications traffic and improvement in business communications. For example, 800 numbers are special because the destination subscriber is billed for toll charges associated with the call instead of the call originator.
When a caller dials an 800 number, the local exchange carrier (LEC) in which the call originates accesses a remote database to determine which interexchange carrier (IXC) has been assigned by the 800 number subscriber to carry the call. When this is determined, the call is transferred to the assigned IXC at its point-of-presence (POP). The IXC then accesses its own database to translate the 800 number into a destination number. In response, the IXC switch routes the call over the IXC network to the destination, which is usually by way of the LEC in which the destination is located. With an 800 call, the IXC recognizes the special nature and bills the destination for the toll charges instead of the origin.
With the efficiencies and low cost of modern telecommunications, many businesses have found it cost effective to absorb the toll charges associated with 800 calls as a technique for improving service and developing new customers. In general, however, 800 number subscribers have not been willing to absorb the cost of international toll charges, which are substantially higher, for calls originating in other countries. As a result, 800 calls are blocked when originating in other countries. Typically the local telephone company in the foreign country blocks further transmission of a call placed to an 800 number having a destination in another country. In other circumstances, the interexchange carrier of the destination country blocks the call when received at its international gateway switch.
The blocking of 800 calls in foreign locations has created inconvenience and hardship in some circumstances. Often the caller only knows the 800 number of a destination but cannot complete the call even if the caller is willing to pay the international toll charges. For example, if a tourist loses his or her travelers checks, only the 800 number of the issuer may be known, but yet the tourist is prevented from contacting the issuer because the 800 number is blocked. As another example, individuals often see 800 numbers advertised in printed materials such as newspapers and magazines or on internationally transmitted broadcasts of television programming from another country. A potential customer may wish to call the 800 number to order a product or service, but is unable to do so because of the blocking of direct-dialed 800 numbers.
The use of a so-called international toll-free numbers has not solved the prior art problems. With this type of number, the destination business is billed for all of the toll charges, both international and domestic. This is expensive for the subscriber, however, and it is only cost effective in limited circumstances, usually with adjacent countries from which the international toll charges are comparatively low.
The prior art also includes the 800 number operator redial system in which a caller in another country first dials a conventional direct-dial number that terminates with an operator in the destination country. The caller is billed for the international toll charges and may also be billed a premium for operator assistance. The caller then tells the operator the desired 800 number, who then manually redials this 800 number for the caller. As those skilled in the art appreciate, this system only saves the domestic toll charges in the destination country, which are typically low in comparison to the international charges. Because of the additional time for the operator assistance and associated premium, this redial system often results in higher charges to the caller than if the caller had dialed the destination directly.